Container apparatus

ABSTRACT

Container apparatus having a container pivotally mounted on a frame to be movable among covered, load, and unload positions. A cover is carried upon the frame, and is insertable into a slot on a wall of the container to cover it. A protrusion is formed on the top surface of the cover to constrain the container in the covered position, thereby allowing the container to be rotated away from the constrained cover position by downward pressure on the cover in the general direction of rotation of the container. The pivotal mount is disposed on the frame to cause the container to follow an arc upon rotation, in which the slot of the container engages the cover at a point away from the back mount to define the load position. Further rotation of the container from the covered and load positions disengages the cover from the slot to define an unload position.

[72] Inventor:

United States Patent Poll [54] CONTAINER APPARATUS David L. Poli, 10201 Santa Paula N.E., Albuquerque, N. Mex. 87111 [22] Filed: March 22,1971

[21] Appl.No.: 126,460

[52] U.S.Cl......

[451 July 25, 1972 Primary Examiner-Joseph R. Leclair Assistant Examiner-James- R. Garrett Altorne v-Richard A. Bachand [5 7] ABSTRACT Container apparatus having a container pivotally mounted on a frame to be movable among covered, load, and unload positions. A cover is carried upon the frame, and is insertable into a slot on a wall of the container to cover it. A protrusion is formed on the top surface of the cover to constrain the container in the covered position, thereby allowing the container to be rotated away from the constrained cover position by downward pressure on the cover in the general direction of rotation of the container. The pivotal mount is disposed on the frame to cause the container to follow an are upon rotation, in which the slot of the container engages the cover at a point away from the back mount to define the load position. Further rotation of the container from the covered and load positions disengages the cover from the slot to define an unload position.

13 Claims, 1 Drawing Figure PAIENTEDJuL25 I972 3.679; 087

INVENTOR DAVlD L. PC)

ATTORNEY CONTAINER APPARATUS BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1 Field of the Invention This invention relates to improvements in containers, and more particularly to improvements of containers of the type which are movable among various positions with respect to a mounting frame.

2. Description of the Prior Art Many different types of containers have been proposed, many including means for allowing the container to be movable among various angles with respect to a mounting frame, to define, for example, a closed position at which a cover may be positioned to completely enclose the container, and an open or load position at which various items may be placed or inserted into the container. Many such containers may also have defined an unload" position to which the container may be moved to allow the contents to fall therefrom.

Containers for use, for example, in combination with a fishing tackle belt have been proposed in which a box-like rectangular container is hinged or pinned at one of its corners to allow it to be swung from a vertical or closed position to an angular or load" position, perhaps between 5 and 45, with respect to the belt upon which it is mounted. At the upright or vertical position, a snap is provided upon a tab or the like extending from the belt to snap onto a corresponding snap on a top portion of the container to hold it in an upright position. In such containers, the back portion juxtaposed to the belt is open, and the top portion is closed, having the snap thereon disposed. This particular container configuration may be inconvenient in operation since ordinarily one must use both hands to unsnap the snap and at the same time hold and move the container away from the belt, to allow access to the interior of the container.

Other containers have been proposed in which a clip from the belt or mounting frame rather than a snap is provided to slideably engage a cover portion of a hinged container. Again, generally the container is open at a back portion. Still other containers have been proposed in which the container assembly unfolds, much like a suitcase.

It has been found that containers such as those above described are often better and easier to handle if two or more distinct positions are defined. Thus, it has been proposed to include a catch or other means for constraining outward travel of the container beyond a certain point, thereby allowing items to be more conveniently placed or inserted into the container. This has usually been achieved, for example, by providing an overall enclosure into which the container may be hinged or pinned, having a hook or spring catch device to engage the container as it is moved to an appropriate forward position. Various locations have been proposed to include such catch member, such as on the wall of the enclosure,

which functions to cover or close the container. This type of catch frequently is a hook or the like which engages a rear wall of the container when it reaches a point in its rotational travel. Other catch means have been proposed including a projecting member on the underside of the container which may be hinged at or below the center of gravity, such that as the container is swung from its vertical position, the projecting member will engage a stop, or even the rear wall, of the enclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION It is yet a further object of the invention to provide a container in which the cover need not be lifted to enable access to the container.

These and other objects, features, and advantages will become apparent to those skilled in the art from the following detailed description, appended claims, and accompanying drawing.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The invention, as shown in the drawing, may include in a single structure 10 a plurality of containers, for example, four containers ll, 12, 13 and 14. Container 11 illustrates the closed position to which each may be moved, container 12 shows the load position, and containers 13 and 14 are examples of the unload position. The containers are each affixed to a support structure or mounting frame 15 by a pivot means, I

such as a pivot pin 16, which may extend through a forward portion of the base of each of the containers 11-14 and through a wing portion 17 of frame 15. The exact location of the pivot 16 may be of particular importance, as described below in detail, since the direction of the arc of travel of the container as it is moved from one position to another is determined by the precise pivot point. The support 15 may be conveniently formed of any material; however, because of the particular simplicity and unity of structure, it may be easily formed of a moldable or extrudable material such as plastic, or the like. As will become apparent, the container covers may be formed as a unitary part of the frame, and must have a certain degree of resiliency; therefore, the material for frame 15 should be chosen from a type which will enable the covers to be repeatedly moved into and out of the cover position without permanent distortion. It is understood, of course, that the frame 15, may be mounted various ways, depending on the particular application for the apparatus intended; for example, on a wall or other surface for household containers, on a belt for use by sportsmen, or on one of many other apparent mountings.

The four container covers 18, 19, 20 and 21 each present flat surface of shape substantially corresponding to the shape of the interior of its respective container l1, 12, 13 and 14,

and are formed at a top portion of the mounting frame 15.

Although the covers 18-21 may be fabricated as a part of the single frame mount 15 (as shown), they may be fabricated separately and welded, soldered, riveted, or otherwise affixed to the mount 15 (not shown). In such event, of course, the material chosen for the frame 15 is not critical, as in the case where the covers are of the same material. The covers 18-21 are each disposed to be received in slots 22, 23, 24 and 25 formed on a wall in its respective containers 11-14. The slots 22-25 are the same length as the width of the interior of its respective container to enable the covers 18-21 to completely cover or enclose the container into which it is received.

To hold or lock the containers in the upright covered position, each of the covers 18-21 includes a protrusion 26, 27, 28 and 29, respectively, to engage the inside of the respective container into which the cover is inserted (see, for example, container 11 into which cover 18 is inserted and lip or protrusion 26 is engaging the interior of the container through slot 22). The protrusions 26-29 are achieved by reducing the thickness of the covers 18-21 near the frame 15. Such protrusions 26-29 may be equally satisfactorily formed by merely cutting a slot or channel (not shown) across its face to receive the containers 11-14 within the slots 22-25. Additionally, each of the covers 18-21 has an angle, chamber, or wedge 30, 31, 32 and 33 at its end to aid the cover in engaging the slot in its respective containers as the container is moved to an upright position, such as that of containers 1] and 12, from the downward position such as that of containers 13 and 14.

As mentioned above, by strategically placing the pivot point about pin 16, the arc of rotation of the containers may be adjusted to engage or catch upon a top portion of its respective cover, as the container is moved outwardly from the closed position to define a load position. For example, as a container is moved from the position of the container 11 to the position of the container 12, the slot 23 engages a forward portion of the top of the cover 19, thus providing, in effect, a catch at that position. To effect the unload position of containers 13 and 14, additional outward rotational force must be applied to container 12 to overcome the bias spring tension in cover 19 upward upon the surface of the slot 23. Conversely, as the container is moved from the unload position, as containers 13 and 14, the wedge, for example, of container 12, causes the cover 19 to be moved downward at its end away from the frame 15 until the cover has entered the slot 23. Further inward rotation of the container again causes the cover to move downward until the protrusion, such as protrusion 26 of cover 18, is inserted through the slot 22. The protrusion will be snapped upwardly by the normal upward bias of the cover 18, thereby locking the container 11 in the closed position.

it will be appreciated that one may easily move a container from the closed position, as container 11, by merely pressing with his thumb upon the cover 18 to disengage the protrusion 26 from the container slot 22, and rotate it to the load position, as container 12, at which the cover engages the slot 23. The container can be further moved by outward rotation to overcome the spring or bias of the cover to the unload positions of containers 13 and 14. Thus, the requirements frequently encountered in the prior art devices in which one must manipulate snaps or spring catches or the like, or in which one must use two hands to gain access to within the container are obviated in that only one hand is required to effectuate the various rotational aspects of the container, and the particular structure involved is of sufficient simplicity to allow the container apparatus to be mass produced either singly or in combination with any number of similar side by side container units (four being illustrated, for example). Thus, it may be seen that the container cover is latched by an upwardly biased cover. This is in contradistinction to the prior art, in which most of the devices advanced define the locked position, if at all, with downward movement or bias of the cover, which creates most of the difficulties above described in locking or unlocking the device, or moving it from the closed position.

It will be understood that although the invention has been illustrated with containers of square configuration, the principles apply equally to containers of any shape, for example, round, oval, or the like. In configurations in which the interior of the container is round, or oval, at the load position it may be difficult to achieve sufficient contact with the cover to effectuate a catch, since sufficient resistance may not be easily achievable. in such instances, a dimple or otherupwardly extending protrusion (not shown) may be incorporated onto the top of the cover. Also, it is understood that although the covers illustrated have a definite line-type protrusion (see protrusions 26-29), a dimple or other upwardly extending protrusion may be provided upon the cover to latch the container in the closed position.

Although the invention has been described and illustrated with a certain degree of particularity, it is understood that the present disclosure has been made only by way of example and that numerous changes in the details of construction and the combination and arrangement of the parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention as hereinafter claimed.

What is claimed is:

1. A container apparatus comprising:

a support frame having a generally quadrangular plannar upstanding wall with brackets projecting perpendicularly from one face adjacent the lower corners thereof,

at least one cover carried by and projecting perpendicularly from the upper portion of said frame in the same direction as said brackets,

at least one elongated container with one open end and having a slot in a wall thereof adjacent said open end to receive said cover,

means on said cover for upwardly engaging said container within the slot, and

means for pivotally interconnecting said frame brackets and said container for enabling said container to be pivoted into and out of engagement with said cover.

2. The container apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for engaginG said container is disposed on the top of said cover to allow it to upwardly engage said container within the slot.

3. The container apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cover and frame are formed of separate pieces of material, said cover being affixed to said frame.

4. The container apparatus of claim 2 wherein said frame and said cover are formed of a single piece of material.

5. The container apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for upwardly engaging said container is a protrusion on the top of said cover.

6. The container apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means interconnecting said frame and said container is disposed to allow said container to pivot along an arc in which the slot in said container engages the top of said cover at a point away from the frame and the means for engaging said container, thereby defining a load position of said container.

7. The container apparatus of claim 6 wherein said frame includes wing members partially surrounding said container, and wherein said means for interconnecting said container and said frame comprises a pin extending therethrough and through said wing members.

8. The container apparatus of claim 7 wherein said frame is of plastic.

9. The container apparatus of claim 8 wherein said container is of plastic.

10. A container apparatus comprising:

A. a frame, including:

1. an upstanding generally quadrangular plate-like back member with generally parallel end edges,

2. two wing members projecting perpendicularly in the same direction from the plane of said back member adjacent the bottom corners thereof,

3. at least one cover carried by said back member ad jacent a top portion thereof and projecting in the same direction as said wing members having a protrusion on a top surface thereof near said back member and a cambered edge away from said member,

B. at least one elongated container with one open end and having a slot in one wall thereof adjacent said open end to receive said cover,

C. a pin extending through said container adjacent the end remote from its open end and said two wing members upon which said container rotates whereby as said container is rotated, it is upwardly engaged at one point by the top of said cover away from said back member and said protrusion and at another point by said protrusion,

whereby said container is held in covered upright position by said protrusion, is held in an angular position by its engagement with the top of said cover away from the back member and protrusion, and is free when away from said cover.

11. The container apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a second protrusion on the top of said cover at the point of engagement away from said back member and the first protrusion.

12. The container apparatus of claim 10 wherein said frame is plastic.

13. The container apparatus of claim 12 wherein said con- 

1. A container apparatus comprising: a support frame having a generally quadrangular plannar upstanding wall with brackets projecting perpendicularly from one face adjacent the lower corners thereof, at least one cover carried by and projecting perpendicularly from the upper portion of said frame in the same direction as said brackets, at least one elongated container with one open end and having a slot in a wall thereof adjacent said open end to receive said cover, means on said cover for upwardly engaging said container within the slot, and means for pivotally interconnecting said frame brackets and said container for enabling said container to be pivoted into and out of engagement with said cover.
 2. The container apparatus of claim 1 wherein said means for engaginG said container is disposed on the top of said cover to allow it to upwardly engage said container within the slot.
 2. two wing members projecting perpendicularly in the same direction from the plane of said back member adjacent the bottom corners thereof,
 3. at least one cover carried by said back member adjacent a top portion thereof and projecting in the same direction as said wing members having a protrusion on a top surface thereof near said back member and a cambered edge away from said member, B. at least one elongated container with one open end and having a slot in one wall thereof adjacent said open end to receive said cover, C. a pin extending through said container adjacent the end remote from its open end and said two wing members upon which said container rotates whereby as said container is rotated, it is upwardly engaged at one point by the top of said cover away from said back member and said protrusion and at another point by said protrusion, whereby said container is held in covered upright position by said protrusion, is held in an angular position by its engagement with the top of said cover away from the back member and protrusion, and is free when away from said cover.
 3. The container apparatus of claim 2 wherein said cover and frame are formed of separate pieces of material, said cover being affixed to said frame.
 4. The container apparatus of claim 2 wherein said frame and said cover are formed of a single piece of material.
 5. The container apparatus of claim 4 wherein said means for upwardly engaging said container is a protrusion on the top of said cover.
 6. The container apparatus of claim 5 wherein said means interconnecting said frame and said container is disposed to allow said container to pivot along an arc in which the slot in said container engages the top of said cover at a point away from the frame and the means for engaging said container, thereby defining a load position of said container.
 7. The container apparatus of claim 6 wherein said frame includes wing members partially surrounding said container, and wherein said means for interconnecting said container and said frame comprises a pin extending therethrough and through said wing members.
 8. The container apparatus of claim 7 wherein said frame is of plastic.
 9. The container apparatus of claim 8 wherein said container is of plastic.
 10. A container apparatus comprising: A. a frame, including:
 11. The container apparatus of claim 10 further comprising a second protrusion on the top of said cover at the point of engagement away from said back member and the first protrusion.
 12. The container apparatus of claim 10 wherein said frame is plastic.
 13. The container apparatus of claim 12 wherein said container is plastic. 